The Sustainability and Climate Change Agency (ASCC) of Corfo certified 32 production plants belonging to 18 companies in the processed food industry, located between Valparaíso and Los Lagos, after complying with 100% of the goals established in the fourth Agreement of Clean Production (APL) of the sector.
In Ñuble, six plants belonging to the companies Productos y Frutos, Comfrut, Frutícola Olmué and Vitafoods were certified.
This collaborative work, articulated by Chilealimentos, has allowed us to maintain and improve the sustainability standard, thus consolidating the achievements achieved through these voluntary agreements.
“In this fourth APL we appreciate that the communities and the value chain have been included,” said Ximena Ruz, director of the Sustainability and Climate Change Agency.
This APL has been key to strengthening the sustainability and competitiveness of Chilean processed products, allowing them to participate in the most demanding markets in the world.
“18 years ago, companies in the processed food sector decided to advance such an important objective through the APL, developing four to date and on the verge of a fifth version,” highlighted Gonzalo Bachelet, president of Chilealimentos and CEO of Vitafoods.
Main results
Public-private collaboration was essential to achieve significant achievements, which include reducing total energy by 6.8%, reducing the acquisition of electrical energy from conventional sources by 73% and the use of coal by 61%. In addition, the purchase of renewable energy increased by 100% and investment in energy efficiency grew by 107%.
Regarding water use, the APL has allowed the specific indicator to be improved by 15.6%. Consumption of reused water increased by 69%, and corporate responsibility actions have been implemented in water resources, which involved farmers and the community.
Thanks to the APL, the sector now values 98% of organic waste, including sludge from Riles treatment plants.
To address climate mitigation and resilience, the carbon footprint was quantified in 2020-2021, obtaining recognition from HuellaChile. In addition, climate risk studies were carried out on 24 relevant species and companies began preparing Sustainability Reports under the GRI standard.
Olmué Fruit Farm
Yocelin Ortiz, head of Safety, Occupational Health and Environment at Frutícola Olmué, commented that it is the firm’s second APL. “We wanted to continue this line of work, in addition, this agreement proposed eight sustainable goals, considers many advances and challenges in environmental performance and includes community relations, which is new, with community commitments regarding the value chain, which is a trend”.
He also highlighted the improvements in energy efficiency, in water management, “which is super valuable in terms of being able to measure the water footprint” and in waste management, where he mentioned that “this translates into valuing all waste, seeking its transformation so that they are raw material for other processes.”
In that sense, he reaffirmed that sustainability certifications “are very well received outside, in our case, as we are exporters, it is very well seen by our clients and makes us strengthen our environmental management system.”
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